Fallout
by spinzgirl
Summary: **Season 7 Spoilers** In war bombings are common. Most are over in a split second, but the worst linger and prolong the damage. In relationships arguments are common. Most end quickly, but sometimes there's fallout. [[Rating changed to M for second chapter content]]
1. Fallout

"Keith, good, you're back."

The paladin was a bit taken aback to find his mother sitting on the sofa in his room, uninvited. Maybe he should have told her he had gone out as it seemed she'd been waiting for a while.

"Hey mom, what's up?"

"Shiro's been looking for you, something about testing the new weapons system on the Black Lion."

"Sure, no problem," he responded noncommittally.

"He also wants to put Coran in charge of the menu from now on," she continued dryly. "Says Earth food is making the Garrison staff weak."

"Sounds good to me."

Keith opened his closet to grab the things he needed, picking up and putting down items without looking at them. In his mind, however, he was busy trying to form an excuse for why he had been out for so long. Acxa had simply asked him to show her around but knowing his mother she'd turn it into something scandalous.

"And rumor has it Lance just proposed to Allura and she said yes."

Without a pause Keith spun around wildly and nearly fell over his own feet, much to the amusement of his mother. " _ **What**_ did you say?"

Quickly she wiped the smirk off of her face and sat up straight. "So you _were_ listening to me. Here I thought you were totally distracted. Is that Acxa girl so interesting?"

"For the millionth time there is nothing between us," he retorted. "I'm just trying to help her get used to life here on Earth."

With that he went back to gathering his things. His mind was racing, trying to make sense of what his mother just told him. They'd only been on Earth for a few months, how had things moved so quickly between Lance and Allura? He'd noticed the time they'd spent together, but were they really that close?

"So, what are you going to do about it?"

Keith froze for a moment, wondering what he must have missed. Had she said something important for him to answer? At this point he decided to backtrack to earlier in the conversation.

"I'm going to find Shiro, what else?"

There, maybe that'll end whatever she wanted to talk about. As many times as his mom had tried to push him into a relationship with Acxa he was beginning to wonder how much longer he could come up with an excuse not to. He'd given her every reason, from cultural differences to lack of attraction; most failed spectacularly considering the fact that his father was human and his mother a purple alien.

Maybe he should just give in. After all his parents worked out well together- or at least until his mother had to leave the planet. He respected Acxa, and she respected him. There was no reason it wouldn't work, he supposed. Especially if Allura was no longer available.

Wait, why did that even matter? They'd been on edge around each other since the incident in space, when he'd insulted her father and then accused her of hooking up with their enemy. Although in fairness-

"KEITH!"

Krolia's shout startled him so much he accidentally knocked over the lamp on the table next to him. "What?" he asked nervously. "Is something wrong?"

His mom raised her eyebrow like she always did when he did something annoying. "Like I just said, I wasn't talking about Shiro."

She motioned for him to join her on the couch. He groaned as he dropped to the spot next to his mother, expecting some kind of scolding for not listening to her. Not that he didn't deserve it, but he really just wasn't in the mood right now.

"Son, I just told you that the woman you love is getting married. What are you going to do about it?"

"What do you mean the woman I love?" he responded incredulously. He'd never once told his mom how he felt about the Princess, so how could she know?

Krolia reached over to cover his right hand with hers. "Do you think I don't notice how you look at her? Or how you call her away from Lance whenever they start to get too close?"

"But I-"

"Do you think I can't see the tears in your eyes when she walks away from you without a proper goodbye?"

There it was. His heart laid out on a cold metal pan, dissected and tagged. On the largest section was a stick pin holding a card in place which simply read "Allura".

"It's no less than I deserve I suppose," he responded, his voice cracking under the weight of his guilt. "Allura must hate me so much."

"You never told me what happened between you two," she answered, wrapping her left arm around his shoulders. "Maybe I can help you two patch things up."

Keith tried to take in a deep breath before responding, but his lungs would not comply. "I said some cruel things to her when we were drifting through space. I hurt her pretty badly."

Krolia squeezed him a bit tighter, her head tilting to rest against his. "Did you mean what you said?"

At first he wanted to respond no, he didn't mean them. But that wasn't entirely true. He meant them, just never intended to let Allura know how he felt.

"She wants so much to be like her father," he started, "but she doesn't even realize she's surpassed him. The Princess has accomplished more than he ever could have hoped to."

"Ah, so you told her that?"

A heavy sigh raised from his chest. "No, instead of telling her she was right I told her he was wrong."

"Oh."

"Thing is, if he had defeated Zarkon all those millenia ago, I would have never met her," he continued. "No, I would have never existed."

Krolia chuckled at his belated realization. She must have thought him an idiot for saying what he did, but that wasn't even the worst of it. He'd struck a second blow, blaming Allura for something the entire team was guilty of.

"Is that all?" Krolia prompted, possibly suspecting his silence was prelude to another confession.

Keith shifted a bit, his body initiating its fight or flight reaction. Still, he answered her question.

"I also accused her of getting too close to Lotor. Of putting the team in danger."

"Didn't the entire team trust him?"

"The entire team didn't fall in love with him though," he replied, his voice barely above a whisper.

For a moment his mother didn't respond, her attention turned towards the doorway. She looked at it expectantly, as if it would open any moment. When that didn't happen she finally turned back to their conversation.

"So what you're telling me is that the things you said to her were out of pain?"

"I guess."

Krolia stood up and turned to face Keith, her hands squaring his shoulders. "Then you need to apologize out of love."

If she hadn't been holding on to him, he imagined his body would have slumped to the floor.

"It's too late," he complained. "I'm sure Lance wouldn't want me being chatty with his fiancee."

"How do you know she's his fiancee?" his mom laughed.

Keith looked up at her, trying to piece out the puzzle she was assembling.

"But you said you heard a rumor they were engaged."

"I said there _was_ a rumor," she said, winking playfully. "I didn't say who started it."

* * *

" _Didn't the entire team trust him?"_

Allura strained to hear the response but was interrupted by the sound of footsteps in the corridor. She quickly and quietly stepped away from the door to Keith's room, trying desperately to not look guilty as she saw Shiro round the corner at the other end of the hallway. Allura walked briskly in his direction to keep him from interrupting the mother-and-son conversation.

"Princess, what are you doing in here?" Shiro asked, genuinely curious.

 _Oh, just a little eavesdropping_ she thought to herself. After all she'd accidentally heard Keith say her name followed by "hate" and, well, why wouldn't she be a bit curious? Still, that wasn't an answer she could give Shiro at this moment.

"Well, I- I heard Acxa was looking for Keith," she started, her stammer making her sound less than convincing. "So I came to help her find him."

Shiro cocked his head to the side as if he wasn't quite buying her story. "Didn't Keith just get back from spending the morning with her?"

That piece of information shouldn't have bothered her as much as it did. She'd realized during their escape from the Galra pirates that Acxa had feelings for Keith. What she wasn't sure of was if he shared them. But if he'd spent half a day with her, what could that mean?

Allura slumped against the wall, willing herself to stand. "Perhaps she had something she forgot to give him," she pondered, forgetting her own lie.

"Like a goodbye kiss?"

Suddenly the wall seemed to push back, launching her into a full upright position. "They've _kissed_?" she hissed, her fingers flying to her mouth when she realized her mistake.

Shiro waved his hand dismissively as he turned to walk away. "What do you care, you have Lance after all. Aren't you two dating or something?"

The Princess rushed to catch up with him, huffing at his flippant remark. "We were... maybe... a little bit."

The former paladin stopped suddenly, continuing to look in the distance as he spoke. "You want to tell me what happened?"

"Well, I liked him. Or I thought I did," she confessed. "After what Keith said, I was hurt and angry. Lance has always been so nice to me it just seemed to make sense."

The sound of voices in the hallway prompted Shiro to grab Allura's arm and pull her into the closest room, which happened to be where the men's showers were located. Luckily no one was using them at this time of day, so they found a bench between the lockers to continue their talk.

"So, does that mean you and Lance called it quits?"

Allura nodded her head slowly. Thankfully it had been a mutual decision, leaving her feeling somewhat less guilty but not entirely.

Shiro sat silent for a moment, occasionally checking his watch before finally asking the most dreaded question.

"So it's all Keith's fault then?"

She'd thought so before. Since that moment she'd believed that he was being cruel and hurtful for no reason. Space madness or not he had broken her heart.

Now? After hearing what Keith told his mom she was beginning to realize that what he said and what he meant weren't quite the same thing.

"Perhaps not entirely," she admitted. Suddenly the memory of it all came crashing back down on her. "I may deserve a bit of blame myself."

Shiro hummed as he looked to the ceiling. The speckled tiles looked a bit like dark stars on a white sky, and it still chilled Allura to think of the time spent floating aimlessly in space. During their hours adrift she'd been enjoying the time they were together, since she hadn't seen Keith for so long.

Since Keith had left them.

That was her truth. She'd wanted him to stay. He refused. Maybe she wasn't enough for him. Maybe Acxa was.

"So you think he is angry with you as well?" Shiro pondered, although it sounded as much like a statement as a question.

"I think he hates me."

The laughter in response to her statement was jarring. Shiro didn't laugh much so his outburst piqued her curiosity. It also pissed her off.

"And just why do you think that's funny?" she demanded, her arms crossed tightly over her chest.

The look Shiro gave her made her feel a bit silly for saying that now. Keith never hated anybody, not even Lance. He'd said some harsh things but now she understood his reasoning.

After all, every decision she made revolved around what her father would have done. And yes, as good a leader as he was he'd made mistakes. It never felt right questioning him or his actions, but maybe she needed to try. Watching Admiral Sanda refuse advice from those with a better understanding of the Galra should have been a wake-up call to accept help when needed.

"I accused Keith of leaving us."

Shiro's head dropped into his hands, his fingers rubbing at his eyes in frustration. "You told a man who had been abandoned and made to fend for himself that he left you?"

Suddenly Allura's fingers were the most interesting things in the room. The polish on her fingernails was beginning to chip and she was tempted to scrape the rest of it off. Anything that would keep her from thinking about what she'd said.

When she didn't respond Shiro continued. "Obviously I don't have memories of that time, but I know how the team responds to Keith. They back away from him like he's an injured animal."

The accustation stung. He wasn't wrong however. They'd always treated him as a loner. Allura was the only one who ever tried to seek him out but it was really when she needed him, not the other way around.

Shiro stood and stretched, seemingly content to leave things with one final comment. "You know, besides me _you_ were the one he cared about the most. If he left it was likely because he felt you'd be better off."

That was it. Lance had always been vocal about his feelings for her, but with Keith there was so much uncertainty. War and the looming threat of death had given her a desire for something to be a _known_ as her life was a constant battle of the _unknown._ It wasn't Keith's responsibility to give her that if she didn't ask for it, though.

"Perhaps I should apologize."

"That's a good start."

Allura stood to face Shiro directly. "What should I say to make it better?"

"Tell him the truth," he responded emphatically as he headed to the exit. "He's a trained Blade. Information is valuable to him. Once he has the intel he'll make his decision accordingly."

Whatever response was firing in Allura's brain took too long to make its way to her mouth, because what she actually said was "Then I should tell him I love him."

At that moment she heard the door open and a loud thud. Unsure if it was Shiro leaving or someone else entering she froze in place. A few ticks later water could be heard running in the shower. For fear of being caught she stayed in place, barely breathing, hidden by the row of lockers.

Soon the squeak of pipes indicated the person was finished showering. She waited until they left and then snuck back into the hallway, making a beeline to Keith's room.

Expecting that his mother was still with him she failed to knock, barging in with a confession itching on her lips. What she found was a dripping wet Keith with a towel wrapped around his waist. What she lost was every thought she'd had up until that moment.


	2. Radioactive

Allura felt time freeze as she stood facing Keith, his expression a mix of horror and embarrassment. The princess turned to leave so quickly her balance was thrown off and she fell backwards, directly into Keith's arms. As he righted her words were exchanged but none seemed to form a complete thought. Some may not have even belonged to a known language.

Unable to turn and face him Allura smoothed the material of her uniform, fumbling with the gold buttons awkwardly as she stuttered an apology. "I- I am so sorry for barging in unannounced," she started, taking a deep breath before continuing. "And….for seeing you….in that, erm, state."

She felt herself relax a bit when Keith chuckled. "It's fine, Princess. Nothing you haven't seen before, right?"

"No, not that I can think of," she confessed awkwardly. Had she? Right now her mind was a muddle of thoughts, none of which were becoming a lady of royal upbringing.

"Right," he murmured. "I'm sure between Lotor and Lance you've seen more than this."

"What the quiznak did you just say?" Allura retorted, her shoulders stiffening as her teeth clenched in rage. " _You_ of all people shouldn't be judging me!"

She suddenly bolted for the door, only to be stopped by a hand grabbing her wrist. It wasn't rough, only firm. Warm and slightly damp. Maybe from the shower; possibly from the atmosphere.

His response was tense, his voice tinged with anger and curiosity. "Why me of all people?"

It was a question she didn't want him to ask, because she didn't want to answer. Being honest was something she'd always prided herself in, yet in this moment she wanted to lie and tell him she hated him. By all rights she should, and he'd have no room to argue it.

Frustrated at his question Allura inhaled sharply through her nose, exhaling her reservations. This would be her chance to clear the air. This would be his opportunity to come clean.

Whatever reaction occurred could alter the landscape of their relationship forever.

"Because _you_ have someone." Her response should have been louder. Should have been angrier.

His grip on her arm loosened slightly, and she took the opportunity to jerk it away. Just the smallest touch from him could do things to her, and she didn't want her desires to distract her from the conversation. Allura shoved her hands in the deep pockets of her jacket as she waited for Keith to speak.

When he finally responded his voice was smaller than before. "I've never had anyone."

Allura couldn't believe Keith would lie to her. He had Shiro. The team became his family. Even his mother had returned to him after a lifelong absence. But he knew that's not what she meant by "someone". Her anger bubbled up and before she could stop herself the words rushed out.

"You have Acxa," she snorted. "So I am not the one sleeping with the enemy!"

That wasn't what she meant to say, but she couldn't take it back now.

" _ **Get. Out."**_

Keith's gravelly command caused Allura to flinch, her shoulders curling into her body. As much as the princess willed herself to move, _to speak,_ no part of her body would obey. In her mind two scenarios played themselves out: in the first she runs away, ending any chance of reconciliation; in the second she stays, beginning the rebuilding process.

When she didn't move a large hand pushed against her back, the other reaching around to open the door. Unwilling to be bullied into submission she ground in her heels, refusing to budge. Keith was strong but she was stronger. She'd rather force a draw than take the loss.

"Am I wrong?" she asked, causing him to pause a moment. "Didn't you spend the day with her?"

His response was cool, unemotional. "She's just a friend. Nothing more."

Allura's heart began beating again. He didn't seem to be hiding anything. And, in this situation at least, he had no reason to lie about it. After all if he thought she was in that deep with Lance well, he could at least admit to that much with Acxa.

"So is Lance," she shot back. "We never got that close."

"Not even as close as you and Lotor?" he asked, pain coating his words. "Looked to me like you two were pretty cozy together."

The insinuation was apparent. One half of her wanted to throw a punch at him, the other wanted to beg for mercy. After all, if Keith had bothered to stick around chances were none of that would have happened. However, he couldn't be entirely to blame for her poor choices.

Propriety be damned, she turned to face her accuser. Her eyes locked onto his- partially as a challenge, mostly as a defensive measure. There was little chance of her winning this fight if her line of sight fell any lower.

"You're right, we kissed. Once."

Keith's jaw reacted but his eyes remained steady. "Even though he's Galra? Or did you suddenly forget what his father did to your people?"

If he'd been holding a knife to her throat it would have drawn blood. Not enough to kill her but enough to make her dizzy. How she let him have this much power over her was unacceptable. She was still a princess, after all. Even if she wasn't _his_ princess.

"I guess that was his reward for not running away like a coward." Allura regained the upper hand and landed a mortal blow. "But I suppose you think you have that in common with my father."

"So I'm gutless for running into danger every fucking day while you were busy playing games?"

"We were building a coalition!"

"I was destroying an empire!"

"I was planning a peaceful future!"

"Yeah, a future without me in it!"

 _Quiznak._

Shiro was right. Keith hadn't tried to leave them. He'd simply done what he felt he had to do, considering himself expendable. Deep down she knew that, and even deeper down she didn't want to admit it. She'd only wanted him back in the castle, safe with the team. Safe with her.

This was why he hated her. He'd admitted as much to his mother. After all this time he'd seen her as being uncommitted to the cause, as being weak. Keith was always there for her, seeking her out when she needed reassurance. It was time for her to pay back his kindness.

"I- that was never my intention," she confessed, her eyes breaking the bond as the lump in her throat grew. "I wanted the war to end quickly by gaining allies. But I lost the most devoted person in my life instead."

Now she saw anger swirling in Keith's eyes, and it was directed towards her. It was too late to ask for forgiveness. She'd failed to give him a heart to come home to and now he was a nomad.

 _So much for a draw._

Allura knew she had lost. There was no coming back from this, the deficit was too large.

"Then you should tell him you love him. I'm sure he's been waiting to hear it."

* * *

Keith could hardly believe he'd heard the words. He had gone to shower when the sound of voices seeped through the locker room door. Leaning in closer he heard Allura say she should tell someone that she loves him; he could only assume she meant Lance. But that was the last he heard as Shiro opened the door and Keith tumbled to the floor.

Not wanting to pry further he simply showered and left, giving no further thought of talking to Allura today. He still wanted to apologize, but his heart wasn't in it. That would have been unfair to her, after all.

Then Allura appeared in his room, and showed no inclination leaving. Too tired to evict her, he allowed her to stay until she said what she needed to . She'd chastised him about what he'd said about her father, but he didn't need to hear about her love life as well. That was too cruel.

"You're right," she admitted, her voice more stilted than usual. "I should say it."

On hearing that Keith turned away, looking for something to busy himself so she couldn't see his face. "So do it. You should probably hurry before lights out though. It's almost bedtime."

Without warning arms wrapped around him, Allura pulling herself tight into his back. Her warm breath on the cool dewy beads that lingered there made him shiver. She'd hugged him once before, as an apology, but he wasn't sure why she was doing it this time.

"Uh, Princess?" He didn't want her to stop but the longer she held on the harder things were going to be for him. Literally.

"I love you."

If the team lost three years that they couldn't account for, Keith was sure he'd topped it. At that moment he felt an eternity pass, and in that span of time he couldn't react. He wanted her to be saying those words to him, but understood it was a practice run for Lance.

"Say something, please!" she begged, tightening her grip.

Keith lifted his hand to cover hers, patting it in a somewhat comforting manner. She was nervous, obviously, and as much as it pained him he needed to cheer her on. He cleared his throat and responded in his best quasi-playboy impersonation.

"All the girls do."

When Allura's arms dropped he realized he may have said the wrong thing. Was she expecting him to play the part of Lance more seriously? Or was she upset that he made light of her confession?

"So, you really do hate me after all."

 _Quiznak! Way to screw things up, idiot!_

"Sorry, I just don't know what Lance will say. It was just the first thing that popped in my head."

"Why are you thinking of Lance at a time like this?" she asked as she took a step backwards. "Wait, do you _like_ him?"

"What? NO!"

"Then why-"

"Because _you_ do, obviously!"

"Where did you get that idea?"

"Oh, I don't know. Everyone?"

"Well everyone is mistaken!"

"Then who exactly are you in love with?"

"You, you idiot!" she spat, her finger jabbing harshly into his chest. "I'm in love with you!"

Keith desperately wished he had a recording of the last few seconds, because his brain was having trouble replaying the last bit of dialogue. As much as he wanted to be the object of her affections, the idea was foolish. He'd failed her so many times. She was too good for him.

Still, he couldn't ignore her skin against his. Her face still showed anger but her hand now rested over his heart. His fingers encircled her wrist, the rhythm of her pulse racing as fast as his own. Whatever he was feeling right now was being echoed by Allura's heartbeat.

This time when their eyes met the anger had faded into remorse. They both had so much to say but their lips had to make a choice. Talking was one of two options. Keith decided his apology could wait for tomorrow.

The Princess seemed to have come to the same conclusion, meeting him halfway as they melted into a desperate kiss.

The friction of their bodies caused Keith's towel to drop to the floor, and Allura kicked it away before he could retrieve it. In retaliation he pulled at the buttons on her jacket until they flew free. The rest of her clothing joined it in a pile where they'd stay until morning.

Soon their hands were mapping out the other's body, alternating between peaks and valleys. The pads of Keith's fingers held evidence of years of misuse, but Allura never once flinched under their harshness. Instead she purred into his mouth, her soft flesh melding with his.

Keith worried he would wake any moment despite never having had such a blissful dream.

Suddenly the lights cut off, a measure to save electricity as well as keep the Garrison well rested. Tonight, however, he was sure they could power a city as energy from her touch pulsed through his body. Exhaustion was something he'd conquered long ago and sleep a luxury he could manage without.

Now, in the pitch black room, sound and touch took over. Even though he couldn't see he was aware of his surroundings and found a wall to back the Princess into. Keith lifted Allura by her hips, her long legs wrapping around him for support.

"Do you want me to stop?" he asked breathlessly, unsure how far she was willing to take this.

Her hand found his face, her palm caressing his cheek. "I've waited too long for this. Why would I want you to stop now?"

He chuckled at her confession. "I bet I've waited longer," he teased. "I've loved you since day one."

His confession finally freed him, fears of abandonment falling away like shackles from a reformed prisoner. Here, in this moment, was his chance to start over.

Fiery passion erupted between them- a bomb that had been ticking for years, threatening to take down everything in its radius. Awkwardness and apologies followed unintentional injuries. Occasional bruises would form in scattered patterns across their skin as they fumbled through the debris. Eventually the two emerged from their battle weary but not beaten.

A brief cease-fire was called before the restoration began.

The rest of the night was spent bridging the gap that had kept them too far apart. Every cry, every gasp, every word that left their lips closed the distance. Hearing her say his name as he left one offering after another was like a goddess answering a prayer.

Eventually the morning bugle sounded, the sun rising on a new alliance.


	3. Shelter

Keith was amused at the team's obliviousness to the situation. Allura sat across from him at breakfast then tried to avoid looking in his direction. Every time he caught her eye she blushed as she lost her train of thought. It was the cutest thing he'd ever seen her do, and he wished he could tell everyone at the table it was because of the things he'd done with her the night before.

Kosmo had taken Allura to her room to get dressed at sunrise, so when they wished each other good morning in the mess hall it wasn't the first time that day. They both ate quickly, briefly discussing the fact that the princess would be training in the Black Lion. That would give them a chance to be alone without drawing unwanted attention.

The walk to the hangar was quiet, anticipation charging the air around them. He knew a heartfelt conversation was on the agenda, but he also knew their heads would surrender briefly to their hands. His fingers twitched as he remembered the feel of her skin against his own.

He wasn't wrong. As soon as the lion's cargo door shut they were each tangled up with the other.

"Allura," Keith interrupted briefly before fielding another kiss.

For her part the only response she could muster was more of a grunt than a word.

Finally he gently pushed her back, his hands squeezing her shoulders. "We need to talk."

She nodded in agreement. "You're right. We can't let this go any longer."

Keith walked them over to the bench that had served as his bed, directing her to sit beside him. As he turned to face her he realized how difficult it was going to be to say what was needed. He hoped she would be understanding; more importantly he hoped he could be patient.

"I'm sorry," he started, his arms now crossed as his hands fisted around his biceps. "What I said to you then, it was wrong. And the worst part is I hurt you."

The princess looked equally uncomfortable, her hands resting on her lap while her fingers laced so tightly her knuckles turned white. "It's okay. I said something pretty cruel myself."

Keith shook his head forcefully. "No, that was fair. I did leave you, and the team. I failed as a leader."

When he looked at Allura he could see the tears welling up. Her attempts to blink them away seemed futile, a loose drop racing down her cheek. Quickly he reached for her, his thumb brushing away the evidence. He understood it was a meaningless gesture as more were sure to follow, but he was prepared to do it as often as they fell.

"You didn't fail anyone. We didn't respect you like we did Shiro. That's on us."

The confession caused Keith to chuckle to himself. "I wasn't exactly deserving of that respect, either."

Allura scooted closer, her head resting on his shoulder. "Let's just say we both handled it poorly."

"Fair enough," he agreed, his arm winding around her waist. "But I still shouldn't have said what I did."

The princess was quiet for a moment before responding. "Were you jealous?"

"Of what?"

"You know."

Yeah, he knew. He also didn't want to think about it. "The ease you had turning to him when you found out he was part Altean was the same ease you turned against me when you found out I was part Galra."

Keith had long wanted to believe his heart had healed properly from that time. Now, as he looked at it critically, he realized it was covered with ugly scar tissue. And now Allura had seen it, too, and was likely repulsed by its hideousness.

"Oh." Her response was barely a whisper. "I never thought of it like that."

Instinctively his arm tightened around her for fear she might pull away. Instead her hands found his empty one, her fingertips tracing the creases of his palms. He didn't know if they had meaning to Alteans but he wondered what his fortune would be if she could read them.

"But yes, I was jealous," he sighed. "Hurt, angry, worried. All of it. Not because I felt you owed me anything, though. I was just scared, I guess."

Allura hummed in response, nuzzling further into his chest. He wondered if she could hear the mad thrumming of his heart. Having her this close was tempting, to say the least.

"What about my father?"

 _Oh, right._

"I was wrong," Keith admitted, tilting to kiss the crown of her head. "He didn't give up. He stayed and fought, protecting you until the end."

At this the princess sat up to face him. "Truth be told it's always bothered me that he didn't listen to what I had to say. If he had-"

"If he had kept Voltron you might have died, too. And…. I would have never met you."

Keith's chest tightened as Allura gave him a sad smile. He wondered if, given the choice, she'd choose her father over him. She may have never known sadness then, having simply lost a stranger whose existence hinged on one man's decision.

"Everything happens for a reason, right?"

* * *

Allura realized what Keith was trying to say. If her father _had_ used Voltron to fight things would have been very different for her. But life couldn't be lived on a diet of "what ifs", only what is.

"Can I ask you something, Keith?"

Her lover nodded for her to continue, but his eyes conveyed hesitation. Allura wasn't sure she wanted to ask it, either.

"Would you have joined the Garrison if your father were still alive?"

Keith's face reflected his answer. "Maybe not," he admitted. "I probably would have been a firefighter like him."

"And you would never have travelled across the universe, or become our captain."

"Or fallen in love," he added, causing Allura to crack the first genuine smile since they began talking.

"Well, I might have almost fallen in love," the princess answered with a giggle. "It just may not have ended well without you there to stop me from making a _huge_ mistake."

"I guess our losses were also our gains."

"I'm less angry at Father for what he did," she continued, her tone turned solemn. "And maybe I do need to stop standing in his shadow after all."

"And I need to forgive my dad for sacrificing his life to save another kid's father," he added. "I guess he trusted that I would be okay without him."

Keith reached for her hand and grasped it tightly, as if he feared losing her as well. She squeezed back to let him know she was staying at his side, forever if possible. As silence chased the last words into the darkness the young couple reflected on their fading grief.

Allura had long considered her father's sacrifice to be greater; after all, he died to save the universe and not just one man. However she had never taken into account that the number of casualties was the same, as were the number of their survivors.

She also realized that she was no longer a princess. At least not of a long destroyed planet. She was growing restless on Earth and yearned to go find her people in order to build a new kingdom. Asking the team to leave their planet, their people, their families? That was something she would struggle to do herself in their situation.

But Keith? There was no doubt where he would go, what he would do. All she needed to do was to point at a star and he'd fly to it. From the moment they met she'd understood that about him, but she never understood what pushed him.

Then he told her.

Last night, in the heat of battle, he'd confessed that he fell in love with her immediately. Allura wasn't one to believe in love at first sight, yet she couldn't deny that he'd been at her side since the beginning. Even when Sendak first threatened to destroy them Keith stood by her, ready to fight.

Allura realized the one thing she'd never said to him, the one thing she needed to say.

"Thank you."

His expression indicated she'd caught him off guard. Keith narrowed his gaze to study her, trying to decipher her cryptic gratitude.

When he couldn't break the code he asked directly. "What are you thanking me for?"

"For existing, I suppose," she responded with a wink. "And for loving all of me, the bad as well as the good."

"I could say the same," he answered. "So don't go doing anything stupid or dangerous, okay?"

"You mean like flying a ship into a force field?" she snapped back, causing him to recoil.

"H-how?" he sputtered, obviously shocked by her sudden acknowledgement. "You didn't-"

"Matt told me yesterday."

"Oh, I see."

Allura knew she shouldn't be angry at him for trying to save the team. She knew the pit that formed in her stomach when Matt brought it up was more guilt than anything.

"So don't do something so foolish again."

"Fine," he answered with a grin. "But in return you can't get yourself captured by the Galra again."

He reached out his hand indicating he wanted her to shake on it, but Allura had a better idea.

Throwing both her arms around his neck she pushed him down onto the bed, dotting his face with her lips. Keith retaliated by tickling her until she cried for mercy, happily exhausted and out of breath.

Soon the laughter died and they cuddled together, wrapped tightly in an embrace. Pressed up against his body Allura realized Keith was thinking the same thing she was. Light pecks turned to deep kisses, fingers fumbling for buttons and zippers.

The princess reveled in the attention her paladin lavished upon her and returned it with fervor. She imagined that, even if this were a daily occurence, an eternity wouldn't be long enough for her to grow tired of his touch. Despite the fact her castle had been destroyed, Allura once again found a shelter that would carry her throughout the universe. Keith was her new home.

After coming down off their high, the lovers bundled together under the thin blanket as they began to drift into sleep. Allura dug her nails into Keith's back as he ran his fingers through her hair. They each expressed their contentment in soft hums and chaste kisses. Not even the whir of machinery dared to drown them out.

Which would likely explain how they heard him approaching. The tapping of boots on cement flooring grew louder by the second. Panic set in when there was a knocking on the metal body of the lion, followed by a familiar voice.

"Hey guys, Shiro wants to know if you're done training yet."

 _Lance?_

When they didn't respond he called out again. "Stop goofing around, I'm coming in."

Before either of them could act the black lion stood and roared before taking off into the desert. By the time it came to a stop they were out of view of the Garrison. Keith looked out the window and realized where they were.

"That's where I was living when I found blue," he mused.

Allura peered over his shoulder at the tiny house surrounded by a sea of sand. "Looks like your connection with Black is stronger than ever," she teased.

Keith chuckled and leaned over to place his hand on the controls.

"Good kitty."


End file.
